This invention relates, in general, to fabrication of optical devices and, more particularly, to manufacturing an optoelectronic interface submodule.
This application is related to issued U.S. patents bearing U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,184 and 5,276,754, titled MOLDED WAVEGUIDE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME and OPTOELECTRONIC MOUNT AND METHOD FOR MAKING, filed on May 28, 1992 and on Aug. 31, 1992, issued on Nov. 23, 1993 and Jan. 4, 1994 which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Further, this application is related to copending application bearing Ser. No. 08/019,731, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,545, titled MOLDED WAVEGUIDE WITH A UNITARY CLADDING REGION AND METHOD OF MAKING, filed on Feb. 19, 1993 with Attorney Docket No. CRO 7958.
At present, interconnection of a photonic device and a waveguide to form an optoelectronic interface submodule is a difficult task that typically employs a manual method or a semi-automatic method for interconnecting or mating of the waveguide and the photonic device. Further, interconnection of the optoelectronic interface submodule to an interconnect substrate also is achieved by either a Imanual method or a semi-automatic method such as wire bonding. These manual or semi-automatic methods for interconnecting the optoelectronic interface submodule to the interconnect substrate typically are difficult tasks that are complex, inefficient, and not suitable for high volume manufacturing.
For example, one major problem associated with interconnection of the optoelectronic submodule to an interconnect substrate is devising a fabrication method and a structure that allows electrical and mechanical coupling between the optoelectronic interface submodule and the interconnection substrate. As practiced in the prior art, interconnection of the optoelectronic submodule to the interconnect substrate is achieved by carefully positioning the prepared optoelectronic substrate on the interconnect board and subsequently wire bonding the photonic devices so as to achieve electrical interconnection between the photonic devices and the interconnect board. However, many problems arise by wire bonding the optoelectronic submodule to the interconnect board, such as being extremely labor intensive, costly, inaccurate, as well as providing additional problems with encapsulation, such as wire sweep, reliability, and the like. Moreover, if for any reason one of the wire bonds is unsuitable or unreliable, product can be manufactured that is both unreliable or unusable, thus increasing cost and reducing manufacturing capability.
It can be readily seen that conventional methods for interconnecting an optoelectronic interface submodule to an interconnect substrate have severe limitations. Also, it is evident that conventional processes that are used to fabricate interconnection between the interconnect substrate and the photonic devices are extremely fragile and are susceptible to both reliability and manufacturing problems. Further, the conventional manufacturing methods are not only complex and expensive, but also are not amenable to high volume manufacturing. Therefore, a method and article for interconnecting a prepared optoelectronic interface submodule and an interconnect substrate is highly desirable.